This invention relates generally to garment hangers and more particularly to adjustable garment hangers for supporting garments of different sizes.
Adjustable garment hangers in which the lengths of the arms may be extended or retracted to accommodate apparel of various shoulder widths are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 765,331; 2,494,711; 2,652,958; 2,754,039 and 2,900,117. Despite the advantages of adjustable garment hangers in preventing a garment from being creased or pulled out of shape under its own weight as it is supported on the hanger during manufacture, shipping or storage in a warehouse, retail store or consumer's closet, apparently none of the prior adjustable hangers are presently in widespread commercial use.
For various reasons, the prior adjustable hangers have been unable to satisfy the need for adjustable garment hangers. The two main problems with the prior devices are the complex construction requiring increased cost of production and the difficulty encountered to adjust and readjust the arms for supporting various shoulder width garments. In addition, provision of the mechanism required to adjust the length of the hanger heretofore has made it difficult to economically manufacture a hanger having a forwardly arched contour. This contour makes the hanger much more effective in preventing the shoulders and armholes from being pulled out of shape because the hanger contour conforms to the contour of most garments in which the shoulders are curved or arched forwardly.
Hence, the present invention is directed to the problem of satisfying the need for an adjustable garment hanger which avoids the aforementioned disadvantages of the prior art, yet is both simple to manufacture and use and provides excellent support for the shoulders and armholes of various sizes of garments.